bf3 multiplayer not working

hey guys i've got a huge problem. here's what happens, i start up the game, i get as far as the main menu and as soon as i click on 'multiplayer' or 'friends' the game gets the loading sign in the bottom right corner (sometimes it doesn't) and just keeps loading... i can do everything else like singleplayer etc.

now i went to the folder where all the gamedata is stored and it had a corrupted file. (it didn't have a name somehow..) i deleted it and reinstalled bf3. still not working.

now as i write this the psn is down for maintenance so i can't reinstall the dlc's. is this a recuirement for the game to work with my profile?? or is the psn being down the whole reason for me not being able to play online? ( i was online at first while this all happened, after trying for the 20th time i restarted my ps3 and it said i couldn't go online because of the maintenance..